Epops-The Hoopoe
The Hoopoe is in a family by itself. Otherwise
known as the Eurasian Hoopoe, It has the
following distinctive characteristics:
•A long curved bill
•A chunky body
•Rounded wings
•They feed primarily on the ground
•They nest in cavities either on the ground or in
rocks or trees
•Their flight is slow and undulating similar to a
large butterfly
•The crest is held back along the top of the
crown and the bird expands it fully when excited
or landing.
Procne-The Nightingale
The Nightingale is a small song bird that was
formerly classed as a member of the thrush
family, but is now more generally considered
to be an Old World flycatcher.
The nightingale is named so because they sing
at night as well as during the day. The male is
the one who sings in order to attract a mate.
The nightingale is slightly larger than the
European Robin. It is plain brown above
except for the reddish tail. It is buff to white
below.
Trochilus-The Woodpecker
(Pileated Woodpecker pictured)
There are 25 species of Woodpecker in North
America alone. They share the following
characteristics:
•They vary in size from large sparrow to crow
size.
•They have a chisel-like bill, skull and neck
muscle adaptions to reduce brain impacts from
blows.
•They have short legs and four toes (two front
and two back).
•They perch along trunks and limbs, drilling
into wood with jerky movements, using the stiff
tail feathers as a prop.
•They hop when on ground.
•Most are black and white, with some red in
their plumage usually on the head.
Leader of the Chorus-The Lark
Skylark
The skylark raises a
slight crest when
agitated. It nests
among short grasses
or vegetation. It is
plain brown with
pointed slender bill
There are 96 species of
larks worldwide. They
are found in all
continents except
antartica. They share
the following
characteristics:
•Bill shape varies from
long and decurved to
thick and conical.
•They are generally
dull-colored in browns,
buff, black and white.
•They walk or run when
on the ground rather
than hop.
•Most give complex
songs in flight
Horned Lark
The horned lark has
distinctive black horns and
white or yellowish face and
throat with a broad black
stripe under the eye. It
usually nests on bare
ground including plowed
fields.
Captain-Seagull
Gulls are medium to large birds with
many different species that live near
water. Seagull is an informal
designation. The laughing gull is the
common gull of Atlantic and Gulf coast
beaches. Its coloring varies according to
age and time of year from brown and
buff as a juvenile to Whitish head, gray
with black wing tips as an adult in the
winter time. The breeding adult has a
black head. All breeds of gulls have
webbed feet. They breed in colonies on
sandy and rocky islands and salt
marshes.
Priest Bird- Kingfisher
(Green Kingfisher Pictured)
Kingfisher is a family of small to medium size
birds. They tend to sit on low branches over
water watching for prey below. Forest species
hunt primarily for earthbound vertebrates.
Their flight is direct with rapid wing beats.
All have large heads with long beaks and short
legs. Tail length varies from stubby to
streamers.
Kingfishers nest in burrows and will defend
their territories year round.
Chorus: Rachel-Owl
(Great Horned Owl Pictured)Owls are predominantly nocturnal predators. Most
owls have the following characteristics:
•A large head with immobile eyes that face forward.
•Acute vision and hearing.
•A prominent facial disk formed of stiff feathers.
•Some species of owl can detect and capture prey at
night by sound alone.
•Very quiet flight due to feather structure which
includes a velvety pile on flight feathers which absorb
sound.
•Most species forage by perching and watching for prey.
•They nest in natural, human made, or woodpecker
holes-some use old trey nests of raptors, crows or
squirrels.
•Can consume small prey whole-tears apart larger prey.
•Their most common vocalization is species specific
and works to establish territory, locate nest sites and
attract a mate.
Darius-Vulture
Vultures feed on carrion-the ones in North
America are believed to be related to storks.
They are usually found in warm climates. Some
of their common features include:
•They are solitary nesters, but are social in
roosting, searching for food, and gang-feeding
at caracasses.
•All species are primarily black on the wings,
body and tail, with some pattern of white or
silver on the underwings.
•When one finds food and dives toward it will
attract the attention of the other birds over a
great distance.
• Though primarily a warm weather bird North
American Vultures have started moving further
north
Jacob-Cardinal
Cardinals are characterized by large
pointed crests and short stout beaks.
The male northern cardinal has bright
red plumage. Females have the same
shape but brownish plumage. Both
sexes sing throughout the year, but
males sing more frequently than
females. Their primary source of
nutrition is seeds.
Brandi-Quail
Quail is a family of species of terrestrial
game birds. Many species have crests
and head plumes as well as ornate body
plumage. They are omnivores, living on
both insects and plants. They are of
small to medium size. All have stout bills
with slightly serrated cutting edges. In
general quail are found in pairs during
mating season and in groups at other
times.
Austin-Flamingo
Flamingos are proportionally the longest
necked and longest legged birds in the world.
The neck is so long that it must be draped over
one side of the body when the bird is at rest.
All species are unmistakably pink or red with
black flight feathers. It takes three or more
years to reach full adult plumage.
Flamingos nest, forage and roost in colonies
apart from other bird species. Breeding takes
place on mud or marsh flats. They use their
bill to strain food from water. They prefer to
forage in water that is a high concentration of
saline. The feed by swinging their bill from
side to side as they walk. Their flight is swift
and direct with quick wing beats and fully
extended necks.
Alice-Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are the smallest
of all birds. They have
incredible flight powers and
brilliant, iridescent colors.
They are attracted to sugar
water feeders. They have
relatively long wings, their feet
are tiny. Bills are slender,
pointed, and proportionately
long varying from straight to
curved or arched.
Their flight is fast and
acrobatic. They are able to fly
backward. They hover at
flowers where they probe for
nectar. They dart in pursuit of
flying insects.